DIY
My son's multi-level fort he wants to build
So my son wants a multi-level fort/playhouse with included basement, moat, and firing ports. Just so I can help him understand what we can realistically do, what would this cost in terms of material and labor? Just a guesstimate.
Then, any sites that have realistic plans for a two story shed? No I'm not digging a basement or moat. Also since he will be out of this in a few years, would like to have room for a actual shed on the first level with some height to it.
P.S. Those are dog bones on the ground there.
Discussion
"mabe" 😂
Kid is more reasonable than 95% of home building clients.
Mabe a basem
Oh, man. When my son was 6 he designed his "ultimate treehouse", complete with zip line and a "jungle jim".
I built it, complete with a 75ft zipline. He was the envy of every neighborhood kid. I still have the drawing on my desk years later.
Yes. If dad is at all able, he should do whatever he can to make this as accurate as possible while remaining legal and practical in the future.
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Wow dude. Maybe chill a bit?
What about this is even remotely "not chill?" I asked where there is a neighborhood with yards that have enough space for a 75ft zipline. I specifically say that I'm not calling him a liar. It's a genuine question because I've never seen a neighborhood with yards like that this would be possible.
You literally said "I'm calling you a liar".
Well damn, that's a bit embarrassing. Didn't realize I mistyped when I meant to specifically say I'm not calling them a liar since my comment would likely be read rudely if I did not. That could not have gone more wrong
I was fortunate to buy a house in an older gaslight neighborhood in the suburbs that edges against a park. I and my neighbors to either side have larger than normal backyards. None of the houses on my side have standard lots.
My house is on a 100 x 125 lot. My yard is about 60 x 125.
I'm aware that houses with large yards exist. My point is that I've never seen them in what would conventially be considered a neighborhood despite living in many different places. So I was asking more of where there are neighborhoods with yards that had that come of space that isn't more rural and not actually a neighborhood or some mega ultra rich neighborhood where I don't think someone installing a zipline is going to make them the most enviable kid.
I go with a good height barn roof style shed with a well reinforced loft added. Interior ladder to get up and safe railings. Let the whole thing be a fort, then in a few years fill that loft with various storage totes.
You're about to get a bunch of those prepper bunker ads
I just dont know if you're gonna be able to get permits to build a literal fortress. 2 stories maybe, but 3 and a sublevel. The city is gonna give you a hard time.
Not to mention the paperwork for what I assume are at least 20mm antiarmor guns.
You're gonna need a professional to do the reinforced concrete.
Just tell the kid "Yes, we gonna build that fort! First step is paperwork and permits."
He will settle for a cardboard fort in no time.
Maybe a reasonable treehouse?
I love this so much, reminds me of my 20 year old’s drawings at that age. What if you approached it as a prototyping/modeling activity with cardboard and connectors like the kind from makedo? It would teach him a lot about building things, and could be translated to wood or something else once the design is settled. Some types of cardboard like honeycomb panels could even be structural.
Those makedo kits are pretty interesting! I'll check them out
His biggest mistake was labeling the trapdoor and leaving the schematics out for you to find!
Apparently he already knows about the bodies in your yard.
"Dog bones". Right, op.
I thought maybe those foolish enough to try to invade the fort.
They have been warned!
Oh come on ! Where's the catapult ?
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Can we exercise a little fiscal restraint here?
How's he going to afford a catapult and have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads in the moat?
Icreatables sheds, $25 pdf. Depending on the size 8'x12'? There's not much saying that you couldn't make the walls taller and add a lift for your second level. They've also got free budget sheets if you explore a bit.
But look around lots, the Internet is an amazing resource
Don't lie. This is entirely your idea
Ooooo I always wanted a moat
I love this too! I remember my Dad giving my graph paper and teaching me to use a single square as say 6inches. This helped me truly visualize space and actual scaling. Would be fun to measure things out with him and go ahead and build the skeleton collection 💀
I know you said you're not going to build a moat but if you can somehow string together a bunch of inflatable kiddie pools to surround the fort, that would be pretty cool and your son would see his creation come to life
That would be sheer heaven for mosquitoes
When I was younger, there was a period when more than half of my time was spent designing forts and treehouses like this. They always had to have traps, secret doors, and trapdoors. When I could, I would build them out of Legos and building blocks.
I planned to dig tunnels once in mine with electric fences around the perimeter.
Levels Jerry, LEVELS
"The bet's off, I'm not gonna do it."
"But that WAS the bet!"
2 story high 1 underground room(the top is the roof? with a trap door and what I’m assuming is a rope or Pole that span from the 2nd floor down to the basement, that’s gonna be some SPEED
Start playing Terraria and make it a reality for him!
Brilliant!
Just be careful that it doesn't get out-of-hand and folks get trapped inside:
How about you purchase a plastic shed at Home Depot (new) or Offer Up (used) and just build a simple 2X4 "loft" inside it. When he grows out of it you have a nice tool shed.
I love how kids universally believe there are just bones everywhere under the dirt. and they’re not even wrong, there’s just - ya know - a little more to it than that.
Will Jerry Lee be inside?
And Jenkins, the toilet butler?
I see nothing wrong with wanting to build an H.H. Holmes inspired fort.
start saving up bones now
And worms
F. F. Fort